This invention pertains to the art of mowing apparatus and more particularly to such apparatus using reversible cutting blades. The invention is particularly applicable to maintaining roadside grassy areas and will be described with particular reference thereto although it will be appreciated that the invention has broader applications such as trimming hedges, cutting overhead limbs and may be advantageously employed in these other environments.
Conventionally, mowing apparatus of this type employ a tractor or other prime mover which provides propulsion along the roadway. An arm assembly extends from the tractor and maintains a mowing unit in a desired position. Frequently, a berm of a highway slopes from the roadway level so that the mowing unit must be capable of a wide range of movement to accommodate such sloping surfaces.
A mowing unit includes a deck which houses a rotary blade assembly. The deck and blades are maintained in a generally parallel relationship with the surface area to be cut and operational controls located on the tractor allow adjustment as needed. The arm may be movable through the use of hydraulic control means, although it will be understood that comparable control means can be utilized.
The blade assembly is rotated at a high speed and the encompassing deck serves as a safety shield for the cut objects which would normally be thrown outwardly from the rotating blades with great force. The wide range of environmental uses of the mowing unit requires such a safety feature. For example, highway berms are frequently littered with cans, trash, and gravel as well as grass, plants and small trees which are to be cut. Once propelled to high speeds by the rotating blades, these objects could cause serious damage if not for the safety shielding provided by the deck.
Hedges are frequently disposed along side roadways and the versatile mowing unit can be angularly disposed from the horizontal to easily trim hedges and the like. In a similar manner, the mowing unit can be raised to an overhead position to cut overlying tree limbs. The movable arm positions the mowing unit in a multitude of positions.
The wide range of materials encountered by such a mowing apparatus necessitates the use of a durable blade. Even with the use of heat treated alloy steel blades, the abuse which the blades encounter can dull the cutting edge in a short period of time. In the past, the mowing apparatus was taken out of commission in order to replace the worn blades with newly sharpened blades. All of this took place at a great deal of time, labor, and expense.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a reversible blade which provides a simple and easy manner of presenting a sharpened cutting surface.